owls and stuff
by cedricsowner
Summary: The war in the wizarding world left a lot of people deeply traumatized. Some chose to go away. One found her way to San Francisco. Crossover HP/HT, but no HP main characters, so I'm posting it here instead of in the crossover section. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Human Target and intend no copyright infringement.**

"You're _leaving_? _Now_? After everything we've been through?"

Her friend couldn't believe it.

"He's gone! Dead at last! This time he won't come back, the boy made sure of that. We can now build a new future - wizards, witches, centaurs, elves, hell, even goblins, all together…"

"Won't be of much help with that…" She gave her half-filled suitcase a shove, deciding she wouldn't take anything with her.

What about some gold?

The vault at Gringotts was filled with family treasures. Her wedding tiara... No. She couldn't go there.

"Your abilities will come back. You're just a bit traumatized, that's all. I've heard they've got a great new program at St. Mungo's…"

"An _experimental_ new program. Call me vain, but I'm not keen on growing horns and a tail."

She turned to her friend and the look on her face made it very clear that she was serious. "I'm leaving, Grace. Forever. And I don't want you to come looking for me."

… … …

All those stuff you needed as a Muggle! Passport, credit card, driving license, social security number… They told her of a man who could help.

His price was hefty.

Damn, she should have taken some gold with her after all.

Guerrero, however, noticed how stealthily she could move, how keen her instincts were (he couldn't know she had been a damn good auror, once upon a time, but he recognized good training when he saw it), and agreed on barter.

… … …

Guerrero's contacts usually didn't come to the office, but the delivery was urgent. With wide-eyed fascination she stared at Ilsa's expensive coffee machine while Guerrero skipped through the papers she had brought.

"Yes, you may touch it, but you'll clean up any mess you cause." He barely looked up from glancing through the documents. "Ames, don't let her near the microwave."

Chance gave his friend a quizzical look.

"Knows zilch about technology, but damn good at following people."

He saw Chance resting his eyes on the horrible scar that started on her right hand, seemed to creep up her arm, all along her neck and ended somewhere in her chin region.

Guerrero shrugged his shoulders in a "none-of-my-business"-gesture.

… … …

Winston blinked a couple of times. Didn't work. It was still there.

An _owl_. On his _desk_. A giant brown something, with a beak, feathers, yellow eyes and all.

"To me it looks like it wants something from you", he said.

"Don't be ridiculous", she shot back, massaging her ever-aching scar with skin oil Ilsa had provided. Totally useless with curse scars of course, but the gesture was really nice. "That's just a stupid bird that forgot it's actually nocturnal. Probably got confused with all those city lights."

The owl hopped over to her, prodded her with its beak. She pushed it away.

"IT'S LEAVING DROPPINGS ALL OVER THE PLACE!", Winston thundered.

Sighing, she reached out, grabbed the owl and walked away with it, hoping Winston hadn't seen the tiny letter attached to its leg.

She retrieved it, so that the bloody beast would finally fly off, and burnt it in the office's kitchen sink, unread.

… … …

"Streetlamps don't just _jump aside_. They remain where they are." Winston might be slow when it came to pursuing somebody, but his eyes were damn good. "And I've checked the thug's gun. There's nothing wrong with it. It should have gone off."

She was shaken. Grace had been right after all. Her abilities were coming back.

A conversation with Chance. "Whatever you're running from, one day you'll have to face it. You can't hide forever."

He was right. It was time….

… … …

"Don't ask why or how. The information where your son and his mother are hiding is hidden in my soul. It's irretrievable unless I choose to reveal it; not even those who know the information can reveal it to others. Your enemies can stand in front of that house and won't see it. They're as safe as it can get."

Guerrero never saw her again after that evening.

Of course he didn't believe her. But he sent Ames to that particular address under a pretext and she came back telling him that there was nothing but a vacant lot.


End file.
